Under the Registration of Persons Ordinance, Hong Kong residents aged 11 or above are required to register for an identity card unless they are specifically exempted or excluded from such provisions, for example, the aged, the blind and the infirm. Any person who is not the holder of an identity card and is required by law to be registered must apply for one within 30 days from the date of his/her arrival in Hong Kong or from the date when he/she is so required.

Members of the public can make an appointment within the next 96 working days and pre-fill the identity card application form through the GovHK website or the Immigration Department Mobile Application. Changes to or cancellation of an appointment can be made as late as one working day prior to the scheduled appointment date. Applicants can also choose to receive a free reminder two days before the appointment date. Furthermore, members of the public may enquire the booking status of ROP Offices through the appointment booking system.

In 2024, 594,309 permanent identity cards and 390,429 non-permanent identity cards were issued.

The Registration of Persons Tribunal is established under section 3C of the Registration of Persons Ordinance to provide people with a channel of appeal arising from the decision of not to issue a permanent identity card or to declare a permanent identity card issued to be invalid. In 2024, the department received a total of 296 appeals from the tribunal.

The introduction of smart identity cards enables the department to use fingerprint identification technology to quickly authenticate a card holder's identity. Hong Kong permanent residents aged 11 or above holding a smart identity card are able to enjoy the convenience of performing immigration clearance at e-Channels in control points.

Hong Kong residents holding a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (Doc/I), persons who have the right to land or are on unconditional stay in Hong Kong, or non-permanent residents issued with a notification label can use the e-Channel service.

Moreover, Hong Kong permanent residents on the strength of their valid smart identity cards or Hong Kong non-permanent residents holding an HKSAR Doc/I and a Hong Kong Identity Card (HKIC), who are aged 11 or above, may travel to Macao and enjoy enhanced immigration facilitation by using the Macao Automated Passenger Clearance System after successful enrolment.

Consular Corps Identity Cards are issued to consuls, consular staff, the head and members of the Office of the European Union to Hong Kong, and their spouses and dependent children of the age of 11 or above.

Replacement identity cards are issued to persons whose previous identity cards have been lost, destroyed, damaged or defaced, or whose identity cards require amendments because of changes in personal particulars such as the name or date of birth. In 2024, 190,137 replacement identity cards were issued.

One-way Permit entrants aged 11 or above may simultaneously submit applications for a Doc/I when applying for first registration for an HKIC at the ROP – Kowloon Office.

Certificates of Registered Particulars are issued to provide detailed records of the particulars furnished or reported to a registration officer, including those which are not shown on identity cards. The department introduced electronic services for online application for Certificate of Registered Particulars on 18 January 2024. Applicants can apply for a Certificate of Registered Particulars online via 'iAM Smart+', and choose to receive the relevant certificate by post, without having to visit an ROP Office in person. In 2024, 39,146 certificates were issued.

One of the main tasks of the department is to maintain registration of persons records. To facilitate storage, retrieval and maintenance of these records, all of them were converted to digital images. The Image Management System, which has replaced the old microfilm technology, facilitates round-the-clock identity card record checks for other law enforcement departments.

A series of caring arrangements had been introduced in the Replacement Exercise, including the 'On-site Identity Card Replacement Service', under which on-site identity card replacement and new identity card delivery services were provided to residents of residential care homes for the elderly and for persons with disabilities (RCHs). The service had been well received by residents of RCHs as well as their family members. As at the end of 2024, the department had visited 1,117 RCHs and provided on-site identity card replacement service for 45,246 residents of RCHs. The service will conclude in the first quarter of 2025.

The Registration of Persons (Amendment) Regulation 2024 came into effect on 13 December 2024. On the same day, the department introduced self-application services for identity cards, expanding the service scope of the Personal Documentation Submission Kiosks to cover identity card applications, in addition to HKSAR passport applications.

Phase I of the new services covers the following three types of identity card replacement applications from persons aged 18 or above holding a locally issued smart identity card:

• (i) replacement for an adult identity card for persons reaching the age of 18;
• (ii) replacement for a permanent identity card for persons having their eligibility for a permanent identity card verified; and
• (iii) replacement for a new smart identity card for persons holding a valid old form of smart identity card.

Eligible applicants may apply for identity card replacement in a self-service manner and submit their HKSAR passport applications in one go. For collection of documents, members of the public may also collect their identity cards and HKSAR passports in a self-service manner through the Personal Documentation Collection Kiosks. A total of 54 new personal documentation kiosks are provided in the new headquarters. The service hours of some of the kiosks have been further extended until 10pm to enable eligible applicants' access to the services beyond office hours.

Starting from 13 December 2024, the time for issuing identity cards has been shortened from the current seven working days to five working days. Members of the public may collect their new identity cards on the next working day upon completion of application processing by the department.

To cope with the public's increasing service demand for identity card registration, the department has launched a series of enhancement measures since 6 March 2023, including the extension of service hours of four designated ROP Offices (namely the Hong Kong Office, Kowloon Office, Tseung Kwan O Office and Tuen Mun Office), and the establishment of the ROP – Kwun Tong (Temporary) Office on 1 November 2023 to enhance the capacity for processing identity card applications. The average weekly processing capacity rose from about 10,000 applications before the epidemic to 25,000 applications, representing an increase of 1.5 times. The issue of full bookings has been greatly improved. The four designated ROP Offices ended their extended hours of service after 31 December 2024 as planned and resumed normal services and working hours.

Upon the end of the extended hours of service at the four designated ROP Offices, applications for replacement of a new smart identity card from persons holding an old form of smart identity card have been centrally processed by the ROP – Kwun Tong (Temporary) Office. It will continue to process the following three types of identity card applications from members of the public:

• replacement for a new smart identity card for persons still holding an old form of smart identity card after the completion of the Replacement Exercise;
• replacement for a juvenile or an adult identity card for persons already holding an identity card and reaching the age of 11 or 18; and
• replacement for a permanent identity card for persons holding an HKIC with their eligibility for a permanent identity card verified.

In addition, starting from 11 June 2024, the ROP – Kwun Tong (Temporary) Office has extended its service scope to cover the processing of applications for identity card replacement due to loss, destruction, damage or defacement.

Under the law, all Hong Kong permanent residents have the right of abode in Hong Kong which includes the right to land in Hong Kong, the right to be free from any condition of stay in Hong Kong, and the right not to be deported or removed from Hong Kong.

Article 24 of the Basic Law sets out six categories of persons who are permanent residents of the HKSAR. The conditions for acquiring the right of abode in Hong Kong are clearly defined in the relevant provisions under the Immigration Ordinance.

After Hong Kong's return to the Motherland, the department started to process the right of abode applications in accordance with the Basic Law and the Immigration Ordinance. Eligible applicants aged 11 or above will be arranged to register for a permanent identity card under the provisions of the Registration of Persons Ordinance. Eligible applicants aged under 11 will be issued with a letter confirming their eligibility. If they hold valid travel documents, they may apply for an endorsement to be made on their travel documents confirming that their eligibility for a permanent identity card has been verified. In 2024, the department received a total of 100,883 VEPIC applications. In the same year, the processing of 102,961 applications in total were finalised.

Electronic services for the submission of VEPIC applications are available to provide more facilitation for applicants, who may make their VEPIC applications online by completing an application form and submitting relevant supporting documents through the GovHK website or the Immigration Department Mobile Application. They may also submit additional documents, enquire the application status and enquire or change their scheduled appointments for verification of the originals of supporting documents online.

The Immigration Department is the sole government department responsible for issuing HKSAR passports. Under the law, HKSAR passports are issued only to Chinese citizens who have the right of abode in Hong Kong and hold valid Hong Kong permanent identity cards. Applications for HKSAR passports can be submitted by post, through drop-in boxes or in person. Eligible applicants holding a valid Hong Kong permanent identity card may also submit their applications via Travel Document Submission Kiosks/Personal Documentation Submission Kiosks, the Internet or the Immigration Department Mobile Application, and choose to collect their HKSAR passports at Passport Collection Kiosks/Personal Documentation Collection Kiosks in a self-service manner.

In 2024, the department received 911,329 HKSAR passport applications and issued 910,553 passports. While the number of HKSAR passport applications received dropped gradually as compared with over 1.45 million applications in 2023, it was still 26 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic figure of approximately 720,000 in 2019. The department will continue to leverage technology and effectively deploy resources, with a view to increasing the processing capacity by improving the HKSAR passport application process and workflow.

The HKSAR Passports Appeal Board is established under the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passports (Appeal Board) Regulation to provide unsuccessful applicants of HKSAR passports with a channel of appeal. In 2024, the department received one appeal from the Appeal Board.

A Doc/I is valid for seven years. It is issued to Hong Kong residents who are unable to obtain a national passport or travel document of any other countries or territories. The vast majority of the applicants are legal immigrants from the Mainland who have not yet resided in Hong Kong continuously for seven years. In 2024, 49,193 Doc/Is were issued.

A Re-entry Permit is valid for a maximum period of five years and is used for travelling to and from Hong Kong and the Mainland or Macao. It is issued mainly to Hong Kong residents who are Chinese citizens and have the right of abode or have been granted unconditional stay in Hong Kong. Given that most Hong Kong residents have used their identity cards for immigration clearance when travelling to the Mainland or Macao since the introduction of e-Channels, Re-entry Permits are used mostly by children under the age of 11 and residents who have lost their identity cards but need to travel to and from the Mainland or Macao before they are issued with replacements. In 2024, 47,554 Re-entry Permits were issued.

A Seaman's Identity Book is valid for 10 years. It is issued to seafarers who are Hong Kong residents having the right of abode or having been granted unconditional stay in the HKSAR, including non-Chinese citizens who are unable to obtain a national passport or travel document of any other countries or territories. In 2024, 24 Seaman's Identity Books were issued.

The department has been authorised by the Central People's Government to deal with nationality-related applications from Hong Kong residents in accordance with the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China and the 'Explanations' adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on 15 May 1996. The Chinese Nationality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance was enacted to provide for matters relating to the implementation of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR.

Hong Kong residents who are Chinese nationals holding foreign passports may make a declaration of change of nationality to the department. The department also handles applications for naturalisation as a Chinese national, renunciation or restoration of Chinese nationality. Apart from submitting the applications directly to the department, overseas Hong Kong residents may also submit the relevant applications to the department through the local CDCMs.

In 2024, the department received 364 declarations of change of nationality from Hong Kong residents, 2,123 applications for naturalisation as a Chinese national, 239 applications for renunciation of Chinese nationality, and 11 applications for restoration of Chinese nationality.

According to the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, any birth in Hong Kong must be registered within 42 days from the day of such birth. Presently, there are 5 births registries in Hong Kong providing births registration services, viz., 1 each on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon and 3 in the New Territories. Under the law, no fee is required for registration of a birth. However, a fee will be charged for post-registration of a birth beyond the prescribed 42 days. A birth that has not been registered within one year can be registered only with the consent of the Registrar of Births and Deaths. In 2024, 35,936 births were registered and 831 births were post-registered.

In addition, to tie in with the government's implementation of the Newborn Baby Bonus scheme from 25 October 2023 onwards, eligible parents may submit their application for the bonus when registering the birth of a newborn at a births registry. Parents registering the birth of their babies online may also apply for the bonus at the same time. As at the end of 2024, a total of 35,615 eligible applications had been received.

According to the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, deaths from natural causes should be registered by relevant persons within the statutory time limit. The Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, which came into effect on 31 March 2023, has extended the statutory time limit for registration of deaths from 24 hours to 14 days. There are 3 deaths registries, including 2 on Hong Kong Island and 1 in Kowloon, providing free registration service. Deaths in rural areas may be registered at the 15 designated police stations in the New Territories and on outlying islands. In 2024, 52,366 deaths were registered.

The department introduced new electronic services for online registration of births and deaths on 31 March 2023. Besides, from 15 December 2023 onwards, informants who have completed the birth or death registration online and chosen to collect the relevant certificates at registries in person may also opt to collect the certificates at any births or deaths registries for greater flexibility. In 2024, a total of 11,302 eligible informants completed the registration of births or deaths online.

All marriages in Hong Kong are governed by the Marriage Ordinance and the Marriage Reform Ordinance. When one man and one woman wish to marry, either party shall give at least 15 clear days' notice of an intended marriage either in person or through a civil celebrant of marriages to the Registrar of Marriages. The notice will be exhibited at the marriage registries (other than the City Hall Marriage Registry and the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry) and the Marriage Registration and Records Office in Admiralty for at least 15 clear days. The marriage must take place within three months from the date of giving the notice if no objection is received. There are no residential requirements on the marrying parties and they may be of any nationality. However, either party to a marriage must not be under the age of 16 (Gregorian reckoning). Marriage may take place at any of the 6 marriage registries or the 272 (as at the end of 2024) licensed places of worship, including churches and Hindu Temple. Moreover, marrying parties may also engage a civil celebrant of marriages to celebrate their marriages at any places other than the marriage registries and the licensed places of worship in Hong Kong. In 2024, 21,339 marriages were celebrated at the marriage registries, 926 in the licensed places of worship and 22,321 by civil celebrants of marriages.

The Civil Celebrants of Marriages Scheme lifts the restrictions on the time and place of marriage solemnisation. The scheme provides more choices, greater flexibility and convenience for members of the public in arranging weddings. It has been well received by the public and has grown in popularity since it was launched. In 2024, there were 20,877 prospective couples (47 per cent of the total number of applications) giving their notices of intended marriage to the Registrar of Marriages through civil celebrants, and 22,321 couples (50 per cent of the total number of marriage registration) who had their marriages solemnised by civil celebrants.

Certain marriages may be post-registered as valid marriages in Hong Kong. They include Chinese customary marriages and modern marriages which were celebrated in Hong Kong before 7 October 1971, the appointed day for the purposes of the Marriage Reform Ordinance. A customary marriage refers to a marriage celebrated in accordance with Chinese law and custom, whilst a modern marriage means a marriage celebrated in Hong Kong before the appointed day by an open ceremony as a modern marriage in the presence of two or more witnesses. In 2024, one application for post-registration of a marriage was received.

On 11 June 2024, the department's headquarters was relocated from Wan Chai to Tseung Kwan O, housing the newly established Tseung Kwan O Marriage Registry and Tseung Kwan O Births Registry. In addition, the marriage hall of the Tseung Kwan O Marriage Registry commenced operation on 26 June 2024. The marriage hall adopts an innovative design featuring special wall panels with starlight effects, and the lighting system can be set to different colours, adding a romantic ambience to the wedding. Various popular photo-taking spots, including a heart-shaped garden and a veil sculpture, are set up in the marriage hall and the outdoor area for the newlyweds and guests to pose for photos. More than 1,300 marriages were celebrated at the Tseung Kwan O Marriage Registry since its commissioning to the end of 2024.

Members of the public may be issued with certified copies of birth, death or marriage certificates upon submission of all the required documents and payment of prescribed fees for the application. The department also issues Certificates of Absence of Marriage Record. In 2024, 248,975 certified copies of birth, death or marriage certificates and 25,522 Certificates of Absence of Marriage Record were issued.